I choked on my halo, fell to Earth, and met some sailors. Here's what happened next.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Just for Now...

Let's not care about "the issues." Like many Americans, I've spent the last 24 hours following the news from Virginia Tech. Names are becoming known and events are unfolding. I'm having a hard time thinking of anything else.

Unfortunately, it seems like every idiot with an agenda has seized upon this event for their own gain. A cursory glance of editorials and blogs tell me the following: America's "gun culture" allowed the shooter easy access to weapons. Or, conversely, our denial of 2nd Amendment rights meant that the victims were left without the means to defend themselves. Maybe violent video games did it, lack of prayer in school, lax immigration laws, or poor decision-making on the part of university officials. And, of course, statements of condolence from Europe and Australia manage to chide us for our lax gun control laws AND tsk-tsk that something like this would only ever happen to Americans.

The truth is, evil is part of this world. We may never understand what happened. And it's normal to want to cast blame and to lash out in grief. But the reasons and the politics can wait.

For now, let's mourn the victims. We should learn their names, and grieve for both their families and for what they could have contributed to the world. Let's convey our respects, no political strings attached.